Railway-crossing signal



May 29, 1928. 1,671,880

' J. E. BARNABY RAILWAY, CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Oct. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwwmtoz May 29, 1928.

J. E. BARNABY RAILWAY CROSSING S IGNAL zi I Filed Oct. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zlmwntoc J5. Barlzdly Patented May 29, 1928.

' Miwsmwen asamamaa M ms-Ca eats Si m? Application niea October 18,1924. se ial u 4,427,

The object of this invention istof minimize the casualties incident totra'thc at the ntersection ofpublic roads with railways and provides adsignal adapted-to be automati cally operated by a train approaching the crossing so as to give ample warning to pedestrians and drivers of vehicles and in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention. Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the, specification, I Figure 1 is a top plan view of" the mtersection of a public road and railway provided with signaling means embodying the invention, K

Figure 2 is a front view of the signal showing the parts on a larger scale, and partly in section,

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the parts illustrated in Fi ure 2, 1 Figure 4 is a side viewof the signal,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the cross iece andtheattached housing and guides or the movable signal, and

Figure 6 is 'a diagrammatic view showing the operating circuit.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral 10 denotes the crossing of a public road 11 andrailway 12 and in accordance with the present invention, the signal is located along the roadway at any determinate distance from the crossing and as shown comprises a supporting frame, a Warning member and operating means therefor. The supporting frame-comprises uprights 13 and 14 and a cross piece 15 although it is to be understood that it may be of any desired construction according to conditions met with. The upright 14 is preferably hollow toenclose the operating parts. A housing 16 is pendant from the cross piece 15 and is provided upon opposite sides with suitable warning legends such as fLook font for the carsl". A} Warning membeif 17-1s1normallyprotected by the housinglti and-is mountedj for vertical 1love ment to be lowered--upon the approachyo f a; 1111 1111 and this warning member" may; be

painted red and contain suitable wales such as Stop to warn a driver or pedestrian of the approach of a train. Chains 18 or other warning elements are attached to the warning member 17 and move therewith. A cable 19 or other flexible connection is attached at one end to the warningmember l7 and is connected at its opposite end to a drum 20 and when wound upon the drum holds the member 17 elevated as indicated 7 most clearly in Figure 2. A weighted cable 21 or analogous flexible connection is attached to the drum 20 and is wound thereon as the cable 19 is unwound therefrom and the purpose of this weighted cable 21 is to elevate and hold the warning member 17 in normal position, that is, within the housing 16. Guide pulleys 22 applied to the cross piece 15 give proper direction to the flexible connection 19. The warning member 17 is held for vertical movement into and out of the housing 16 by means of a frame 23 formed preferably of a rod bent into U- shape, as shown in'Figures 2 and 5. The

upper terminals of the rod form guide members 23 that cooperate with guide elements 24 having loops 24 receiving said members 2! At the lower ends of the guide members 23 frame 23 is enlarged to receive warning member 17, said enlargement including inturned portions 23 at the "lower endsof members 23, side members 23 engaging the sides of the warning member 17, and a connection member 23.

a An electric motor 25 is preferably disposed within the lower portion of the upright 14 and its shaft is connected by means of a drive belt 26 with the drum 20 and 'in the preferable construction the drive belt 26 consists of a sprocket chain coacting with sprocket wheels applied to the shaft of the motor and drum. The motor 25 is included in an electric circuit 27 which also includes rail sections 28 which are electrically insulated, the circuit being closed when the train reaches the block containing the rail sections 28 as indicated at 29 in the diagram in Figure 6 and when the circuit is closed the motor 25 is actuated and operates the drum 20 to unwind the cable 19 thereno i from and wind the cable 21 thereon and during this operation the warning member 17 is lowered into position to warn a pedestrian or driver of a vehicle not to pass over the crossing 10 because of the approach of a train. After the train has passed the crossi the full lines in Figure 2.

What is claimed is n apparatus of the class described,com-

prising a warning member, a generally U- shaped rod disposed about the member, said ment longitudinally of the rod, a supporting member to which said terminal portions are guided, guide -members forsaid terminals extending above said supportin member, a housing for said warning lnem ber depending from the supporting member, and means to raise and lower said warningmembers.

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature.

JA s EDWARD BARNABY. 

